Ted Schwerzler

There were plenty of splits during the last week of minor league action. A few key prospects came up big, and a veteran arm pitched lights out for St. Paul. The FCL season came to an end, and postseason positioning is taking shape. Image courtesy of William Parmeter TRANSACTIONS: C/OF Ricardo Olivar promoted to Wichita. OF Walker Jenkins promoted to Cedar Rapids. C Michael Clayton promoted to Cedar Rapids. Jenkins Promoted! After injuring his hamstring in the first game of the season, Jenkins missed some significant time out of the gate for Fort Myers. When he returned, it was clear his approach was solid as he showed a strong grasp for Low-A. Across 33 games, he posted an .817 OPS with a 17/28 K/BB. Reaching High-A at Cedar Rapids is a nice boost for the 2023 first round pick. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 22, DSL Arizona Black 7 Box Score A nine-run first inning will generally provide a laugher of an outcome. Of course. that's what happened for the DSL Twins, but they continued to pile on with 22 runs. In the first inning, Daiber De Los Santos was 2-for-2 and launched a grand slam. The home run was his fifth of the season. The Twins put up another gaudy number with eight runs in the third inning. The scored a paltry one apiece in each of the fourth and fifth innings, and then capped things off with three more in the sixth inning. De Los Santos had a truly remarkable stat line going 4-for-6 with four runs, nine(!!) RBI, and a walk. He doubled twice on the day as well. Victor Leal, Luis Fragoza, and Ruben Velazquez all had two hits as well. The Twins scored their runs on just 14 hits, but drew 17 walks while striking out just six times. The went 9-for-17 with runners in scoring position. Arizona dropped to 8-31 on the year, which is indicative of this result. WEEK IN REVIEW Triple-A: St. Paul Saints Overall: 50-51 (3-3 last week) Third place in the IL West Overview: Splitting a series with Omaha, the Saints saw old friend Tyler Duffey in the opposing dugout. Patrick Winkel went 6-for-13 in four games of action. He had a home run and drove in a team-high five runs. His slash line resulted in a 1.154 OPS. Dalton Shuffield jumps all over the place when needed. He played all six games last week and batted .313. He had a triple and home run. Wynton Bernard continues to play well for St. Paul and swiped three bases in three tries. Adam Plutko was incredible pitching six innings of one-hit baseball while striking out eight. Randy Dobnak continues to be great for St. Paul and struck out five in seven innings. Louie Varland had 13 strikeouts in 11 innings across a pair of starts last week. Yunior Severino played in just two games as he is dealing with a minor elbow injury. He should be back this week. What’s Next: A series with the worst team in the IL West is on deck with St. Paul traveling to Des Moines against the Cubs. Double-A: Wichita Wind Surge Overall: 41-55 (3-3 last week) Fifth place in the Texas League North Overview: Wichita went to Amarillo and split a series with the Sod Poodles. Ben Ross played in all six games. He went 7-for-20 and hit .350/.458/.750 (1.208) with two doubles, two homers and four walks. It brings his season batting average over .200. Tyler Dearden was playing for Lew Ford. After six years in the Red Sox org, he started this year with 55 games playing for Lew Ford in the indy Atlantic League. He posted a 1.000+ OPS there, then 1.000+ in Cedar Rapids and now over 1.000+ in Wichita. Tanner Schobel went 5-for-18 with three runs this week across five games. He had a double, triple, and homer. Luke Keaschall hit just .240 but he hit three homers and drove in seven runs. Marco Raya had among his best starts of the season with a five inning scoreless effort. He gave up just a single hit and struck out five. Andrew Morris struck out six across four innings. He worked as a bulk reliever in his appearance this week. What’s Next: Welcoming the Naturals to Wichita, the Wind Surge host the third place Texas League North foe. High-A: Cedar Rapids Kernels Overall: 54-40 (3-3 last week) Second place in the Midwest League West Overview: Splitting a series with Quad Cities, the Kernels stayed put in the standings. Rubel Cespedes hit .364 across six games going 8-for-22. His 12 total bases led the team, and so too did his six RBI. Kevin Maitan had a pair of doubles as well as a home run for the Kernels this week. Gabriel Gonzalez had just one extra-base hit, a double, but batted .300 on the week across six games. He drew six walks and stole a pair of bases Darren Bowen turned in a four inning scoreless start allowing just two hits and striking out three. C.J. Culpepper came back from a lengthy IL stint and worked two perfect innings, striking out three. Connor Prielipp was also back from a rehab assignment and made a two inning start striking out four. John Klein’s seven strikeouts during his six inning start were a team high. What’s Next: Cedar Rapids returns home and hosts Great Lakes. The Loons are third in the Midwest League East standings. Low-A: Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Overall: 50-43 (4-2 last week) Second place in Florida State League West Overview: The Mighty Mussels upward trend continues and they continue to climb the standings. Nick Lucky played in six games this week and scored four runs while walloping a pair of homers. Maddux Houghton batted .353 across six games while scoring seven runs. He had a home run as well. Walker Jenkins had a few key hits, including a home run, while leading the team with eight RBI. Brandon Winokur homered twice. Yasser Mercedes joined Fort Myers with the FCL season wrapping up and went 1-for-14 in his first three games. Spencer Bengard had another scoreless outing. Although he had just one strikeout, the Fort Myers pitcher allowed only two hits and a walk across five innings. Justin Topa couldn’t get to St. Paul with flight issues, so he made another scoreless relief appearance on his rehab assignment. Wilker Reyes and Paulshawn Pasqualotto both struck out a team-high six hitters. What’s Next: St. Lucie comes to Fort Myers this week, and they are currently the Florida State League’s worst team. Complex League: FCL Twins Overall: 28-31 Fourth place in Florida Complex League South The FCL team wrapped up their season and unfortunately missed out on postseason play. Ariel Castro finished by going 3-for-7 with an RBI. He walked twice as well. The top international prospect signing posted a .666 OPS during his first season stateside. Bryan Acuna was 2-for-8 in the final week and had a pair of walks. Ronald Acuna Jr.’s brother had a .753 OPS this season in the FCL. That’s nearly a 200 point jump from what he did in 40 FCL games last year as a 17-year-old. Dylan Questad finished on a high note, working two scoreless innings with a pair of strikeouts in his last start. Dominican Summer League: DSL Twins Overall: 19-19 Sixth place in Dominican Summer League South Eduardo Beltre had a pair of home runs with a pair of doubles. He batted .462 with a 1.577 OPS. Merphy Hernandez also hit .462 last week while recording a pair of doubles and a triple. Anderson Ramos got a win pitching three perfect innings of relief while striking out four. Jose Vasquez pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief and struck out a team-high six batters. PROSPECT SUMMARY #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 5-19, 3 R, 2B, HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, K #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 5-23, R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K #4 – David Festa (Minnesota) – 4.1 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 7 K #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 6-20, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 6 BB, 6 K, 2 SB #6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB 5 K #7 – Charlee Soto (Fort Myers) – 4.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 1-9, 2 R, 2B, RBI, 2 BB, K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 6-25, 5 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 5-24, 4 R, 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K #11 – Simeon Woods Richardson (Minnesota) – 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 5 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 5-18, 3 R, 2B, 3B, HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 2 K #14 – Zebby Matthews (St. Paul) – 4.0 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #15 – Cory Lewis (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 3 H , 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 6 K #17 – Connor Prielipp (Cedar Rapids) - 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 4 K #18 – Yunior Severino (St. Paul) – 3-8, R, 2B, RBI, BB, 2 K #19 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 5-20, 3 R, 2 2B, BB, 3 K, SB Hitter of the Week - Maddux Houghton (Fort Myers) - 6-17, 7 R, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K, 3 SB Pitcher of the Week - Adam Plutko (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 K View full article

Just 30 hours remain for the Minnesota Twins to make moves prior to the 2024 Major League Baseball trade deadline. Only a few games out of the top spot in the division, they can’t afford to stand pat. There are a trio of needs they need to meet. Image courtesy of © Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports After the most successful postseason in decades, Rocco Baldelli and Derek Falvey were told payroll was going to be slashed. Despite that decision from the top, internal talent has kept the franchise relevant and now they can grab some reinforcements. There are more than a handful of names available on the open market. Sizable moves have already taken place with Randy Arozarena, Danny Jansen, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all having been moved. Regardless of who Minnesota brings in, there are three imperative realities to take care of prior to Tuesday’s deadline. 1. A Left-Handed Reliever This move is front and center for a multitude of reasons. It’s arguably going to cost the least amount in the form of both prospect and dollar compensation. It’s also a barebones decision to add relief help for a talented team, and that’s exactly what the Twins are. There is also the reality that Minnesota currently doesn’t employ a capable option. Caleb Thielbar looks like the pitcher he was after his career resurgence. Kody Funderburk is on the injured list due to a strained oblique. Steven Okert, acquired for Nick Gordon this offseason, has been mostly mediocre continues to trend downwards. It was about the time Detroit’s Colt Keith took Okert deep on Saturday night that reality set in: Minnesota doesn’t have a single trustworthy southpaw in the bullpen. That has to change, and there isn’t an internal option. 2. A Starting Pitcher When Sonny Gray departed this offseason it was fine because Minnesota was never going to pay an aging arm that sort of freight for that time period. The assumption was that they would add a playoff-caliber starter through trade, but they turned from that premise as well. Pitching is expensive, in one form or another, and ownership isn’t interested in finding out how much. At this point, it would be sheer negligence not to add something. Simeon Woods Richardson has been a saving grace for ownership, but he's approaching a career-high innings mark. Chris Paddack is dealing with a forearm strain. Will the team want to rely on Louie Varland, David Festa , a meteoric rise for Zebby Matthews, or promoting Randy Dobnak to catch Cleveland? The Twins very likely aren’t going to add a top two starter, though they should. Finding someone to eat innings and contribute, with a higher ceiling than Dallas Keuchel last season, should be seen as a must. If they can be around next year as well, great. 3. A Payroll Boost Tying into both of the aforementioned moves, spending some money needs to be part of the showing. It is well established that ownership won’t be adding $10 million. Despite taking a terrible (but most lucrative) television deal and thwarting fans, investing in the product doesn’t appear to be an integral part of the strategy. Still, the Twins can’t add talent by subtracting from the group they already employ. Shipping out a big-league asset, or trying to skimp out of taking on dollars while increasing the prospect haul, would be incredibly shortsighted. That has been the blueprint for months now, and at some point, some forward-thinking common sense should factor in. The hours continue to tick away. Go get it done. View full article

The Twins have seen plenty of success from pitchers taken in the middle rounds of the Major League Baseball draft. Former Cal Bears right-hander Christian Becerra is looking to become the next development success story from that same spot. Image courtesy of Robert Edwards, KLC Fotos Christian Becerra pitched three seasons for Cal and he worked out of the bullpen during the vast majority of them. Making 12 starts in 57 games, he brings some versatility to the professional ranks. Becerra also has played against high levels of competition outside of just the Pac-12 thanks to a pair or trips to the Cape Cod League. Across 51 1/3 innings last season, Becerra struck out 57 while walking just 14. He posted a 3.68 ERA, and could be someone to watch as a quick riser if he stays in the bullpen. Chomping at the bit, ready to get to work, Becerra has kicked off his career down in Fort Myers. I touched base with him recently to introduce him to Twins Territory. Twins Daily: You have spent the vast majority of your time at Cal working as a reliever, but started some last year as well. How has your process changed based on the role, and where did you find so much success last season? Christian Becerra: Even though most of my time at Cal was spent as a reliever, I feel as if I am still a starter that can command multiple pitches for strikes. However, being a reliver means being able to adapt to whatever situation you’re put into. After finding out I would not be starting, I decided to focus on controlling the controllables and giving 100% in whatever moment I was put into. TD: You have posted some impressive numbers across the board, but in relief appears to be where you shine. What about coming out of the bullpen has been beneficial for you? CB: Last year as a starter was definitely a bit of a roller coaster. I was dealing with some arsenal changes, primarily switching to a two-seam fastball and eliminating my curveball. In 2024 I brought back these pitches which allowed me to feel comfortable and confident again. Coming out of the bullpen and throwing long relief outings allowed me to throw with some adrenaline, especially when coming into a tough situation. I credit most of my success in 2024 towards my arsenal and mentality shift. TD: What does your repertoire look like? What pitch do you feel like is your most dominant and what do you lean on when needing a strike most? CB: My arsenal consists of a four-pitch mix. I utilize a four-seam fastball, sweeping slider, curveball and a split-changeup. I utilize every single one of these pitches to attack hitters differently. My slider has always been my bread and butter for as long as I can remember, but over this last year my confidence and feel for every other one of my pitches has skyrocketed. TD: With multiple years of experience on the Cape, what has facing wood bats and that sort of competition done to prepare you for pro ball? CB: The Cape contains some of the best players in the country. Being around great coaches and players has allowed me to take little tips and tricks and incorporate them for myself. Whether that is a grip or a pitching tip, someone at that level always has something to offer. I believe that the Cape is very similar to pro ball, with games almost every day and great talent everywhere. Ultimately playing in the Cape has made me beyond excited for the opportunity to play in pro ball. TD: The Twins have begun to grow synonymous with velocity and pitching development. What do you know about the organization and Minnesota as a whole? CB: I have only heard great things about this organization and can’t wait to get started and to learn. I have been fortunate enough to have past teammates that have also been selected by the Twins and the reviews remain consistent and positive. The amount of information and experience this staff has is very evident and I plan on being a sponge here soaking up all the information I can. TD: Playing three years for Cal, you know the Pac-12 inside and out. I’m a Ducks football fan (sorry), but how do you feel about conference realignment and west coast schools joining the Big Ten? CB: The conference realignments are honestly sad in my opinion. I understand why they’re happening as money is always king; however, it is sad to see a legendary conference like the Pac-12 just vanish. I truly feel bad for the student-athletes that will have to make these long commutes while still having to complete the same requirements as other students without any compensation. With that being said, I’m excited to follow my Cal teammates throughout this next experience as I know they will kill it and represent the retired Pac-12 well. Welcome to Twins Territory, Christian! View full article

The Twins farm has been getting healthy of late and Sunday was the return of C.J. Culpepper. Walker Jenkins played hero for Fort Myers. Rayne Doncon had a day as well. Image courtesy of William Parmeter CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 58-46 St. Paul Saints: 50-51 Wichita Wind Surge: 41-55 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 54-40 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 50-43 FCL Twins: 28-31 DSL Twins: 19-18 TRANSACTIONS INF Diego A. Castillo reports to St. Paul and is added to the roster C Alex Isola placed on development list by St. Paul SAINTS SENTINEL Omaha 9, St. Paul 1 Box Score Louie Varland looked to turn in another solid start for St. Paul. He worked five innings and gave up three runs on four hits and four walks. Varland struck out six, but got taken deep twice. Patrick Winkel drove in Wynton Bernard in the second inning to match Omaha at one, but then things went off the rails. The Storm Chasers put up eight unanswered runs. Recently returned reliever Diego Castillo allowed five runs on three hits and two walks while getting just one out in the eighth inning. Although offense was a struggle, Chris Williams showed off his arm in a big way. St. Paul had only six hits on the day, and two came from both Diego A. Castillo and Dalton Shuffield. Edouard Julien was back after his demotion for Jose Miranda, and he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and a walk. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 10, Amarillo 8 Box Score The well-traveled Aaron Rozek started tonight for the Wind Surge. Having bounced between Double and Triple-A all year, he continues to get the job done. Wichita got seven innings of three-run baseball. Rozek gave up six hits but walked none and struck out six. After a pair of scoreless innings, Wichita went to work in the third frame. Jake Rucker singled home Ben Ross before Tyler Dearden doubled home Rucker and Jorel Ortega. Carson McCusker's 20th double of the season brought home Dearden and made it a 4-0 ballgame. The Sod Poodles answered with a pair in the bottom of the fourth inning, but then their bats went dormant. Luke Keaschall brought home Ortega with a fifth inning single and McCusker tripled him in. Up 6-2 through five innings, this one had the makings of being a laugher. The Wind Surge added again in the seventh inning. Rucker launched his sixth dinger of the season, and the two-run shot scored Keaschall. Aaron Sabato doubled home Jeferson Morales, and Ross followed with a doubled to bring him home as well. The second four-run frame of the game made it a 10-2 game. Amarillo scored a run in the seventh inning before putting up five more in the ninth inning. It made what looked like a blowout a much tighter contest, but Wichita was able to slam the door. The 12 hits by the Wind Surge were distributed among eight of the starters. Rucker, McCusker, Ross, and Ortega each had a pair. An ugly stain on the victory was a lopsided 15/2 K/BB for Wichita. KERNELS NUGGETS Cedar Rapids 5, Quad Cities 3 Box Score C.J. Culpepper got the start in his return from the injured list. He threw two perfect innings and struck out three. Jordan Carr took over for 6 1/3 innings of bulk work to get the win. He allowed three runs on five hits but also struck out five. Rayne Doncon provided some run support early with a single to score Kevin Maitan. Gabriel Gonzalez then scored on a third inning sacrifice fly from Rubel Cespedes to make it a 2-0 lead. After a bit of a lull, Gonzalez drove in another run with an eighth inning single that scored Dillon Tatum. Doncon homered in the ninth inning and brought home Cespedes to make it 5-0. Quad Cities launched a three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning, but that was where the rally ended. Cespedes, Doncon, and Tatum all had two hits on the day. Gonzalez picked up his fifth steal of the season. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Dunedin 3 Box Score Cesar Lares drew the start on Sunday afternoon for Fort Myers. He allowed three runs (two earned) across 3 2/3 innings. Lares scattered five hits while striking out three and not allowing any walks. Down 2-0 after the first inning, Fort Myers responded quickly. In the second inning Yohander Martinez singled in Nick Lucky to give the Mighty Mussels their first run. Walker Jenkins then ripped a liner to drive in Martinez and Angel Del Rosario putting Fort Myers on top. In the third inning Fort Myers added again to provide some breathing room. Daniel Pena drove in Brandon Winokur with a single and then scored on a Del Rosario ground out. Up 5-2 through three innings, the Mighty Mussels were in a good spot. Dunedin got a run back on a fourth inning solo shot, but Jenkins answered with another for Fort Myers in the sixth inning. His single scored Maddux Houghton and made it a 6-3 game, which is where it would end. Kyle Bloor, Samuel Perez, and Xander Hamilton closed out the game with scoreless relief work. Jenkins, Winokur, and Martinez each had a pair of hits. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) - 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K Hitter of the Day – Rayne Doncon (Cedar Rapids) - 2-for-4, R, HR(7), 3 RBI, K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Sunday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 2-5, 3 RBI #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 0-3, RBI, 2 K #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 1-3, R, RBI, BB, K #8 – Austin Martin (Minnesota) – 1-3, R, RBI, BB, 2B #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – In Progress #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 2-5, R, 2 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – In Progress #19 – C.J. Culpepper (Cedar Rapids) – 2.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K TUESDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul @ Iowa (6:38 PM CST) – RHP Caleb Boushley (9-4, 4.47 ERA) Wichita vs NW Arkansas (7:05 PM) - RHP Travis Adams (4-6, 4.83 ERA) Cedar Rapids vs Great Lakes (6:35 PM CST) – TBD Fort Myers vs St. Lucie (6:05 PM CST) – TBD Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Sunday’s games! View full article

The Minnesota Twins are continuing to close the gap widened by the Cleveland Guardians. The goal should be securing a postseason bye. The time to be aggressive is now. Image courtesy of © Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports Since the season ended against the Houston Astros last year, the Minnesota Twins have gone out of their way to do almost everything wrong from an engagement perspective. They didn’t need to pull off a Juan Soto trade or sign Blake Snell to an ugly contract. What they did need to do was ride the positive momentum. With ownership slashing payroll and the television debacle playing out, there have been multiple self-induced missteps. Now, suggesting that additional funds are nowhere to be found at the deadline, despite a potential influx to right the television situation, Minnesota is doing it to themselves again. In a position to make the playoffs, and with a core that can make noise, now isn’t the time to shy away from competition. Of the teams mentioned above, the Twins may benefit most from putting themselves in a better position. Minnesota is not a juggernaut, and no amount of additions they make will change that reality. Suggesting that they may play flat if they have a first-round bye in the postseason only makes sense if you’d prefer Rocco Baldelli’s team play more games in hopes of winning a World Series. Postseason expansion has helped to keep more organizations engaged in the regular season, but the quick wild card series isn't something that the Twins should want to repeat. The Twins should look to position themselves so that their path to the Fall Classic avoids as many pitfalls as possible. While they handled the Blue Jays in a short series a season ago, anything can happen over the course of three games. There are questions as to how the starting rotation will hold up behind the top three arms. The underbelly of the bullpen is concerning, and the roster must remain fresh if they are going to execute that final sprint. Right now, the Twins farm system may be deeper than it has at any time in recent memory. The big league roster also doesn’t have gaping holes that need substantial additions to move it forward. There should be no reason that a starter and reliever, at minimum, can't be acquired. Derek Falvey should be told he can go for it, and that doesn’t mean he has to acquire gaudy salaries. What it does mean is that he should be allowed to operate in a manner where no stone is left unturned. It’s possible that the Twins' ownership will further limit payroll next season with decreasing television revenues. Continuing to operate this way, while the team is drawing well and competitive, is a slap in the face to fans and a focus on winning. Minnesota is doing everything it can with the players they have now. There is room for them to do more by bringing in a few key reinforcements. An additional investment, with long-term ripple effects, was warranted this offseason and didn’t happen. It’s warranted again right now, and there are just days for everyone in the front office to get aligned on making it happen. Now isn’t the time to just dip a toe in. Go after it. View full article

The Minnesota Twins got a quick lead when Royce Lewis made his presence felt against Tarik Skubal. The Tigers starter may have made his last appearance for Detroit, and he'll go out on a good note if that's the case. Image courtesy of © Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Joe Ryan 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K (89 pitches, 56 strikes, 15 whiffs) Home Runs: Royce Lewis(11) Bottom 3 WPA: Brock Stewart (-.146), Byron Buxton (-.102), Joe Ryan (-.089) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Royce Sends Skubal Out After Saturday evening the Minnesota Twins have just a single game left against the Detroit Tigers this season. Tarik Skubal was on the bump, as a leading Cy Young candidate for the American League, but he could be making his last start for A.J. Hinch’s club. A top-tier trade candidate, it remains to be seen if someone will pay the ransom, but he could be had. Just back from the injured list on Friday night, Royce Lewis settled in by blasting a two-run shot to score Manuel Margot in the first inning. Lewis’ 11th of the season happened in just his 26th game. Staying healthy is the focus, but he will continue to impact the lineup any time he is in it. Jose Miranda, who was activated today, got found in the bottom of the first inning by Matt Vierling. A bobble on the grounder allowed the Tigers batter to reach base. Detroit pushed him around and answered with a run of their own. Vierling was again trouble in the sixth inning when his leadoff single positioned him to score on Colt Keith’s triple, tying the game at two. A sacrifice fly from Mark Canha gave the Tigers their first lead. Javy Baez Good, Only Against Twins After allowing a home run to Javier Baez yesterday, the Twins allowed the Detroit shortstop to get them again today. Brock Stewart took over for Joe Ryan in the seventh inning, and the reliever served up a two-run -run dinger. It was Baez’s fourth home run of the season, his third consecutive game with a home run, and three of four have come against Minnesota. Despite being terrible against everyone else, he continues to get the Twins. Stewart just returned from a lengthy injury absence, and tonight it was clear the usual 97 mph velocity on his fastball and sinker was nowhere to be found. Steven Okert came on to replace Stewart after just two outs, and his leaky stuff continued to show cracks. Despite facing a lefty in Keith, the slider flipper gave up a two-run homer to put Detroit up 7-2. If it wasn’t evident that Rocco Baldelli’s bullpen needed left-handed relief help before the trade deadline, the roster continues to prove that point. Minnesota had no answer for the four-run seventh inning and dropped game two of the series. The Twins got two hits from Lewis and Carlos Santana, but went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position while leaving six on base. Notes Edouard Julien was the odd man out for the Twins with Jose Miranda returning to the lineup. He went just 2-for-12 during his five-game stint with Minnesota. He has been trending up the past three weeks at Triple-A, but it was a tough look while back in the big leagues. With both Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Yankees) and Luis Arraez (Padres) having now been traded by the Miami Marlins, former Twins utility man Nick Gordon is the last man standing among the three close teammates. Zebby Matthews, who’s pitching Saturday in his second Saints start, was just elevated to top 100 prospect status. With graduations taking place throughout the year, he joins Luke Keaschall as players to make it on the MLB Pipeline Top 100 since Opening Day took place. What’s Next? Bailey Ober starts game three for the Twins on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers have yet to announce a starter, but both the series and season series will be on the line. Going into the final game, Minnesota owns a +2 run differential. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

The Minnesota Twins entered the season with questionable starting pitching depth. That is now being tested, and a familiar face deserves an opportunity. Image courtesy of © Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports Randy Dobnak’s story is well documented. An Uber driver turned 2019 postseason starter in New York against the Yankees, it’s been a while since we have seen him in a Twins uniform. Out of the big leagues since 2021, the 29-year-old is now a dad with a whole new bag of tricks. Although he has missed portions of recent seasons and dealt with a finger ligament issue that sapped his effectiveness, he couldn’t look better than he does right now. The fastball has never been his go-to pitch, but he’s sitting around 93 mph this season and pairing it with an enhanced changeup. After spending countless hours in the lab this offseason, the changeup was shown off this spring, and he’s throwing it nearly 30% of the time. Pitching for the Saints this season, Dobnak is seeing more than just positive surface level results. With a chase rate above 32%, he is forcing opposing hitters to expand the zone at a near-career-high rate. His 12.5% whiff rate is well above his career average, and his 23% strikeout rate is solid as well. A ground ball master, Dobnak has gotten that part of his game back as well, inducing balls on the ground nearly 60% of the time. All of these results also come with the caveat that it was a slow start to the year. As he looked to settle in with the new repertoire, Dobnak owned a 5.96 ERA across his first 25 2/3 innings. The strikeouts were there, but so too were walks and too much contact. However, across his last 15 outings, a period of 74 innings, Dobnak owns a 2.80 ERA with 73 strikeouts. Since his 10-strikeout game on June 15, Dobnak has ripped off a run of eight starts with a 1.70 ERA. When Chris Paddack went on the shelf with a forearm strain for the Twins, an opening popped up in the rotation. That was handed to top pitching prospect David Festa, who struggled in his first two turns. He was great following Steven Okert’s mess as the opener, and he certainly earned another chance after besting a tough Phillies lineup. Beyond that though, Dobnak has all but forced his way back in. This isn’t just a fun story anymore, and Dobnak isn’t out to make a brief appearance. As was the case before an odd injury that changed his career trajectory, he is capable of showing that there’s a high-quality big league pitcher ready to compete. The Twins would need to make room on the 40-man roster, and that’s difficult with the current construction. Still, Dobnak is on a five-year deal that runs through 2025 and includes two team options. Finding a way to explore a full-circle moment should be part of the plan. It shouldn’t be difficult to root for a guy who has dealt with so much adversity and continued to work his way through it. It becomes a whole lot easier to call for a move when the performance warrants it as well. It’s not difficult to argue that Dobnak has been one of the best pitchers across Minnesota’s entire system this season. That may not have been expected, but it’s now the reality that we’re dealing with. View full article

Marco Raya may have just turned in his best outing of the season for Double-A Wichita. Adam Plutko continued a string of strong starts for the St. Paul Saints. The Twins farm system had plenty of performances jumped off the page. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 57-45 St. Paul Saints: 50-49 Wichita Wind Surge: 38-55 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 53-39 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 49-41 FCL Twins: 28-31 (Season finished on Thursday) DSL Twins: 19-18 TRANSACTIONS INF Royce Lewis returned to Minnesota from MLB rehab assignment INF Diego A. Castillo cleared waivers and has reported to St. Paul Justin Topa had his rehab assignment transferred to St. Paul C Jair Camargo was officially optioned to St. Paul 1B Aaron Sabato was activated from Wichita's Injured List SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 6, Omaha 1 Box Score Veteran big leaguer Adam Plutko was on the bump for the Saints, and he turned in his best start in the Twins organization. Six innings of scoreless baseball were punctuated by just a single hit and one walk. Plutko also struck out eight. A night after Randy Dobnak shoved for St. Paul, the next man up did the same thing. Both sides remained scoreless for the first four innings but Patrick Winkel kicked things off in the fourth inning. His two-run blast scored Wynton Bernard and made it 2-0. Dalton Shuffield followed with a two-run dinger, scoring Payton Eeles, and the Saints suddenly had a 4-0 lead. Shuffield singled home Anthony Prato in the sixth inning and Winkel drove home Chris Williams in the eighth inning. Ryan Jensen started the ninth inning but was able to record just a single out before loading the bases and giving up a run. Matt Bowman came on to replace him and struck out Nelson Velazquez to set Omaha up against their final out. He got a ground out from Ryan Fitzgerald and capped off the victory. Bernard, Winkel, and Shuffield each had two hits for the Saints on Friday night. St. Paul drew more walks(5) than they took strikeouts(4), and came out victorious because of it. WIND SURGE WISDOM Wichita 4, Amarillo 1 Box Score If the Twins were interested in trading Marco Raya, watching him make arguably the best start of the season was certainly ideal. Working five innings of one-hit ball, Raya allowed no runs or walks while striking out five. Luke Keaschall did as he has done multiple times this season and led off the game with a home run. His sixth of the year at Double-A made it a 1-0 game. Ben Ross drove in Aaron Sabato with a fourth-inning single before Jorel Ortega plated Tanner Schobel with the same type of hit. Up 3-0, a sixth inning Sod Poodles run didn’t hurt. Ross blasted a solo shot in the ninth inning to get the run back and make it a 4-1 game. Andrew Morris closed it out. The starter came on for four innings of relief and allowed only a single run while striking out six. He lowered his ERA to 1.28 in the process. He earned his first Save in professional baseball, and his first Save since his freshman year at Mesa State (Colorado) in 2019. Ross racked up three hits, accounting for half of the total on the night. The Wind Surge struck out only four times while drawing three walks. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 3, Cedar Rapids 2 Box Score The D-Bo Show put up a strong performance on Friday. Darren Bowen went four scoreless innings and allowed just two hits and a walk. He also struck out three batters. Cedar Rapids opened the scoring during the fifth inning when Kyle Hess tripled home Jay Harry. Dillon Tatum cashed him in with a single, and the good guys led by a 2-0 tally. Quad Cities got a run back during the sixth inning, but they had work to do. They loaded the bases against closer Gabriel Yanez. With one out, Justin Johnson singled to complete the River Bandits comeback and walk it off. Rubel Cespedes joined Harry with a pair of hits, accounting for four of the nine by Cedar Rapids. The Kernels racked up 12 strikeouts while drawing just two walks. Misael Urbina’s double and Hess’s triple were the lone extra-base hits. Yanez’s fifth blown save also negated Mike Paredes’ four innings of one-run (unearned) relief. MUSSEL MATTERS Dunedin 11, Fort Myers 10 (F/12) Box Score Tanner Hall drew the start while Yasser Mercedes played alongside Walker Jenkins in the outfield for the first time. Hall worked four innings and allowed five runs on four hits. He gave up a walk but struck out five batters. Down 2-0 through the first two innings, the Mighty Mussels took a lead in the third inning thanks to a four-spot. Angel Del Rosario doubled home Nick Lucky for the first run before Jenkins scored him on a sacrifice fly. Brandon Winokur then homered for the seventh time, and for the second straight night. His two-run shot brought home Mercedes to make it a 4-2 game. Lucky’s fourth-inning solo blast put Fort Myers up 5-2. Dunedin’s four-run fifth inning gave them the lead, but Rixon Wingrove doubled home Poncho Ruiz in the eighth inning to tie things at six. The Mighty Mussels couldn’t grab a go-ahead run in the ninth inning, and Jack Noble got the final two outs to push the game into extras. With one out in the tenth, Ruiz brought Mercedes home on a sacrifice fly to score the go ahead run. That wouldn’t hold through the bottom half though, so Fort Myers tried again in the 11th inning. Wingrove scored on an errant throw and Del Rosario drove him in. The 9-7 lead didn’t hold up either, and it was on to the 12th. Jenkins started at second base and moved to third with two outs. A balk from pitcher Yondrei Rojas brought him home, and once again Fort Myers had a lead. Of course, Dunedin scored in the bottom half to even things at 10-10. The Blue Jays pushed a second run across and were able to secure the walk-off victory. Lucky went 3-for-3 on the night, with Wingrove, Ruiz, and Del Rosario each picking up a pair of hits. The Mighty Mussels put up a 10/2 K/BB and were just 4-for-15 with runners in scoring position. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Twins 7, DSL Arizona Black 4 Box Score Leonardo Rondon worked five innings allowing just two runs (one earned) on four hits. He walked a pair but struck out two as well. Ramiro Dominguez started the scoring with a solo shot in the first inning, his first professional home run. After Arizona tied things in the bottom of the first, the Twins answered with four runs in the second inning. Singles from Irvin Nunez and Dominguez, along with a Merphy Hernandez triple, did all of the damage. Nestor Urbina’s third-inning single drove in another and made it a 6-1 game. Arizona scored a run in the fifth inning, and two more in the sixth inning to draw closer. Rather than wilt like the previous day, the Twins added another run in the seventh inning to stretch their lead. Hernandez raced home on a wild pitch to provide the breathing room. Hernandez, Dominguez, and Urbina all posted a pair of hits for the Twins. Eudy Garcia worked the final two innings. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Adam Plutko (St. Paul) - 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K Hitter of the Day – Nick Lucky (Fort Myers) 3-3, 2 R, RBI, 2B, HR(4) PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #1– Walker Jenkins (Fort Myers) – 0-5, R, RBI #2 – Brooks Lee (Minnesota) – 3-4, R, RBI, BB #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 0-4, K #6 – Marco Raya (Wichita) – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 1-5, R, RBI, HR(6) #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-6, R, 2 RBI, 2 K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 0-3, R, BB #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 0-2, K SATURDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Omaha (6:37 PM CST) – RHP Zebby Matthews (1-0, 3.60 ERA) Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Cory Lewis (0-2, 4.50 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:00 PM CST) – LHP Connor Prielipp (0-0, -.-- ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Charlee Soto (0-3, 5.73 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Friday’s games! 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The Twins kicked off their final series against the Tigers with a bang. It's hard to be more impressive than they were, and Royce Lewis was there for the fun. One can argue whether the Tigers City Connect uniform or their performance was uglier. Image courtesy of © Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports Box Score SP: Pablo Lopez 7.0 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 7 K, (97 pitches, 68 strikes, 13 whiffs) Home Runs: Byron Buxton (12), Trevor Larnach (11), Matt Wallner (5), Christian Vazquez (5) Top 3 WPA: Byron Buxton (.133), Willi Castro (.125), Christian Vazquez (.109) Win Probability Chart (via FanGraphs) Dinger Party for Dinner The Twins lineup faced Keider Montero for the second time this season. The Tigers rookie stymied them the first time, allowing just two runs across 6 1/3 innings. Friday night was a different story. Byron Buxton launched his 12th dinger of the year in the first inning, and Trevor Larnach went deep in the next at-bat. Matt Wallner then took the Detroit pitcher yard in the second inning and Minnesota was up 3-0 with just four outs on the board. Despite being arguably the worst regular position player in baseball, Javier Baez continues to play for the Tigers. On a gaudy contract that Minnesota is certainly thankful they didn’t agree too, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch has to keep running him out there. But after homering for the first time since 4/15 yesterday, Baez got to Pablo Lopez for a two-run shot in the third inning to close the gap to 3-2. That was as close as the Tigers were going to get. Piling On is Fun Not looking to let the Tigers hang around, former Tiger Willi Castro quickly created more distance for Minnesota. Rocco Baldelli’s second All-Star singled in the fourth inning with runners on second and third. Wallner and Christian Vazquez scored to make it a 5-2 game. Castro advanced to third on a bizarre error when Colt Keith threw to first base without any defender being on first base. Not looking to waste that good fortune, Buxton recorded his second extra-base hit of the night to bring home Castro. Recording his 21st double of the season, the heater Minnesota’s center fielder is on continued. The home run party continued rolling in the sixth inning when Vazquez homered off of reliever Joey Wentz. The two-run shot brought in Brooks Lee and pushed the Twins lead to 8-2. The home run made him 3-for-3 on the evening with a stolen base. He continues to put his early-season struggles in the rearview mirror. Don’t worry though, the Twins made sure to get Manuel Margot a pinch-hitting appearance in the seventh inning. Of course, he was fruitless, again… Pablo Buckles Down As the Twins continue to look for the best version of Pablo Lopez, he showed off both sides in the seventh inning. A Matt Vierling double was followed by a Bligh Madris single and a Carson Kelly walk. With the bases chucked and no outs, the Twins ace paired a Gio Urshela ground out with pop-outs from Baez and Wenceel Perez to end the inning unscathed. Giving Baldelli seven innings of two-run ball on 97 pitches, he had again done his job. Lowering his ERA to 4.77 and continuing to track towards expected metrics, he became the second Minnesota pitcher to surpass 2.0 fWAR on the season. Josh Staumont came on to get outs as he has done all season. After recording a quick pair, he plunked Mark Canha, and then walked Vierling to put runners on first and second. Madris made it hurt by driving home Canha to make it an 8-3 ballgame. Staumont battled to get Kelly to pop out and send the game into the ninth. After a pair of quick outs for the Twins, Minnesota loaded the bases against Will Vest. Max Kepler singled before Carlos Santana was plunked and Wallner walked. Lee took a bases-loaded walk to drive in another run, and it was a 9-3 lead into the final half. Caleb Thielbar was on for some low-leverage duty. After Urshela singled to open the inning, Thielbar got a pair of flyouts and then struck out Justyn-Henry Malloy to end the game. Notes Royce Lewis’ return from the injured list ended an absence of 24 days. He last played against the Detroit Tigers and returned to face that same team. Catcher Jair Camargo was optioned to Triple-A to make room. Jose Miranda played first base for St. Paul on Thursday night, and the expectation is that he will return for the Twins over the weekend too. The weekend series with Detroit marks Minnesota’s last matchup this seasonwith the Tigers. Coming in at 5-5 with a +1 run differential, the Twins can create some distance with the down divisional foe. Keith Law updated his top 60 prospects for The Athletic today and the Twins fare well with three prospects ranked: Walker Jenkins (#9), Emmanuel Rodriguez (#26), and Zebby Mattthews (#60). None of these names should be on their way out before Tuesday's deadline, but that may give Minnesota more room to maneuver with the depth behind them. What’s Next? Joe Ryan makes the start on Saturday for the Twins in a marquee matchup against Tarik Skubal. The Tigers aren’t shopping their ace, but if he is moved, the return for Detroit should be massive. A must-see matchup could give the Twins the season series. Postgame Interviews Bullpen Usage Spreadsheet View full article

For weeks, Randy Dobnak has been the highlight of the Minnesota Twins farm system on the mound. There was more of that tonight. Yasser Mercedes drew a promotion, and wins were plentiful. Image courtesy of Rob Thompson, St. Paul Saints CURRENT W-L Records Minnesota Twins: 56-45 St. Paul Saints: 49-49 Wichita Wind Surge: 38-55 Cedar Rapids Kernels: 53-38 Fort Myers Mighty Mussels: 49-41 FCL Twins: 28-31 (Season Complete) DSL Twins: 18-18 TRANSACTIONS RHP Jay Jackson has been released from St. Paul by Minnesota C Jair Camargo was optioned to St. Paul and activated. The Twins signed minor-league veteran RHP Mason Fox out of the independent Atlantic League. He was in the Padres organization from 2018 through 2023, which he missed due to injury. He was assigned to the Wind Surge. Wichita placed LHP Jaylen Nowlin on the 7-Day IL. OF Yasser Mercedes promoted to Low-A Fort Myers SAINTS SENTINEL St. Paul 5, Omaha 2 Box Score Randy Dobnak drew the start on Thursday for the Saints. He was passed over for David Festa with the Twins on Wednesday, but he showed up in a big way against the Storm Chasers. He worked seven innings, and came out for the eighth, before bowing out. Ronny Henriquez gave up an inherited runner to tally one for Dobnak, but the Saints starter scattered seven hits while walking none and striking out five. Alex Isola scored DaShawn Keirsey Jr. on a single in the first inning before Patrick Winkel drove him home to make it 2-0. Dalton Shuffield scored the third run on a second inning wild pitch and a rehabbing Jose Miranda made it 4-0 in the fourth on a double that scored Keirsey Jr. A Payton Eeles single scored Winkel in the fifth inning to make it 5-0, and a couple of less than notable Omaha runs weren’t going to change the outing. Winkel finished with three hits while Shuffield tripled and Miranda doubled to record the extra-base knocks. The Saints moved back to .500, and Dobnak dropped his ERA to 3.61 on the season. The expectation should be that Miranda is on a flight to rejoin Minnesota. WIND SURGE WISDOM Amarillo 3, Wichita 2 Box Score Christian MacLeod made his Double-A debut for Wichita and worked 4 2/3 innings. He was charged with three runs on four hits and four walks. He also struck out four but allowed a pair of home runs. Down 3-0 after the third inning, Wichita had work to do. It wasn’t until the ninth inning that they answered, It began with a Tanner Schobel triple. Tyler Dearden and Andrew Cossetti scored, but the tying run was stranded 90 feet from home. Dearden and Schobel both had a pair of hits on the evening. Luke Keaschall and Dearden drew a walk each to represent the pair for Wichita. KERNELS NUGGETS Quad Cities 5, Cedar Rapids 3 Box Score Jeremy Lee was on the bump for the Kernels and he punched out six while allowing just a single earned run on four hits across 5 2/3 innings on Thursday night. Nolan Santos came on for 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief while striking out three. Kyle Hess singled home Misael Urbina in the third inning to score the game’s first run before Jay Harry drove home Kevin Maitan in the sixth inning. After the River Bandits got on back in the bottom of the frame, Hess scored on a seventh inning wild pitch to make it 3-1. A ninth inning grand slam by Shervyen Newton walked off the good guys and gave Quad Cities a 5-3 win. Hess was joined by Gabriel Gonzalez as the only batters to record a pair of hits. Hess’ double was also the lone extra-base hit of the evening and Gonzalez was nabbed trying to steal. MUSSEL MATTERS Fort Myers 6, Dunedin 2 Box Score Spencer Bengard worked five innings of scoreless baseball. The Mighty Mussels starter gave up just two hits while walking one and striking one out. Juan Mercedes and Kyle Bloor also worked scoreless relief outings. The sides were even until the fifth inning when Byron Chourio doubled home Maddux Houghton to break the scoreless tie. Brandon Winokur launched his sixth home run of the season to make it 2-0 in the sixth inning and then the seventh inning got wild. Playing in his first Low-A game, Yasser Mercedes reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Houghton, Yohander Martinez, and Chourio. WinZzce fly to score Mercedes and make it a 6-0 game. The Blue Jays plated a pair in the ninth inning, but it was ultimately too little, too late. Chourio and Matthew Clayton both had a pair of hits for Fort Myers. Mercedes went 0-for-5 with a run and a walk in his Mighty Mussels debut. COMPLEX CHRONICLES FCL Twins 1, FCL Orioles 0 Box Score Dylan Questad started and worked two innings of scoreless baseball. He gave up a single hit and struck out two. The Twins allowed just three hits across seven shutout innings as a team. The struck out five and walked only one. Dameury Pena opened the scoring with a third inning sacrifice fly that scored Omari Daniel. That wound up being the only run of the game. Pena didn’t record a hit but did tally a walk. DOMINICAN DAILIES DSL Marlins 8, DSL Twins Box Score It was a back and forth tilt on Thursday for the Twins and Marlins. The Twins wound up using six different pitchers, and none threw more than two innings. Sebastian Pulido and Aaron Carranza were the only arms to work scoreless outings. After getting behind in the first inning, the Twins responded with a three-spot to take the lead. The Marlins jumped back ahead 4-3 in the third inning, but the Twins evened it up in the bottom half. Tied at six after the top of the eighth inning, the Twins scored a run in the bottom and grabbed the lead again at 7-6. Aiberson Ventura balked with runners on the corners to give up the lead again, and the Twins needed a run in the ninth to walk it off. Despite pushing Merphy Hernandez to second in the bottom of the ninth, the Twins couldn’t get him home. Extras were needed to settle things. The Marlins got one in the tenth and the Twins couldn’t answer, ultimately coming up one run short. Daiber De Los Santos and Merphy Hernandez recorded a pair of hits, while the Twins had eight hits on the day. Hernandez scored a pair of runs, as did De Los Santos. Drawing six walks, Carlos Silva and Luis Fragoza each recorded a pair of them. The Twins didn’t have an extra-base hit, but both Hernandez(3) and De Los Santos(2) stole multiple bases. TWINS DAILY MINOR LEAGUE PLAYERS OF THE DAY Pitcher of the Day – Randy Dobnak (St. Paul) - 7.0+ IP, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 5 K Hitter of the Day – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) - 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K PROSPECT SUMMARY Check out the Prospect Tracker for much more on the Twins Top 20 prospects after seeing how they did on Thursday. #5 – Gabriel Gonzalez (Cedar Rapids) – 2-4, BB, K #9 – Luke Keaschall (Wichita) – 0-3, BB, K #10 – Brandon Winokur (Fort Myers) – 1-3, R, 2 RBI, BB, K #13 – Tanner Schobel (Wichita) – 2-4, 2 RBI, 3B, K #20 – Ricardo Olivar (Cedar Rapids) – 1-5, K FRIDAY’S PROBABLE STARTERS St. Paul vs Omaha (7:07 PM CST) – RHP Adam Plutko (4-1, 4.44 ERA) Wichita @ Amarillo (7:05 PM CST) – RHP Marco Raya (0-3, 5.83 ERA) Cedar Rapids @ Quad Cities (6:30 PM CST) – RHP Darren Bowen (2-5, 6.46 ERA) Fort Myers @ Dunedin (5:30 PM CST) – RHP Tanner Hall (2-0, 4.85 ERA) Please feel free to ask questions and discuss Thursday’s games! View full article